‘When science meets faith’: BJP leader on tunnel rescue expert offering prayer for safe evacuation of workers
The video depicted Arnold Dix seated in front of the local deity's temple while the priest conducted the puja, as the rescue operation continued alongside.
International tunneling expert Arnold Dix was witnessed on Tuesday offering prayers to the local deity situated just outside the Silkaya Tunnel in Uttarakhand. The prayers were aimed at ensuring the safe evacuation of the 41 workers who had been trapped for 16 days inside the partially collapsed section of the tunnel in Uttarakhand.
Follow LIVE updates on Uttarakhand tunnel rescue
The rescue operation reached its critical breakthrough stage on Tuesday, moving into the evacuation phase. The workers will each be placed on a wheeled stretcher and carefully pulled out by rescue teams using ropes. This process is expected to continue throughout the night, according to an official from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), showcasing Dix joining a local priest in prayers for the workers' safe evacuation inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand. Malviya wrote, “When science and technology meets faith. International tunnelling expert, Arnold Dix joins a priest in praying for the safe evacuation of 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel, in Uttarakhand.”
The video depicted Arnold Dix seated in front of the local deity's temple while the priest conducted the puja, as the rescue operation continued alongside.
Who is Arnold Dix?
Arnold Dix is a scientific researcher and expert in underground tunnelling, has been present at the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse site from the initial days. He oversaw the application of the American auger for horizontally drilling the tunnel and conducted a thorough inspection of the rescue site to determine the most effective method for extracting the 41 trapped workers.
Dix specialises in underground infrastructure and construction risk, boasting global recognition for his expertise in tunneling. He actively participates as an investigator, expert witness, consultant, and mediator. He received acclaim for his tunnel fire safety contributions, acknowledged with a 2022 Committee Service Award by the National Fire Protection Association.
Arnold Dix feels the trap is like an ‘ancient story’
Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra took to social media platform X to share a video featuring Arnold Dix detailing the entire incident regarding the tunnel entrapment and the ongoing rescue operation nearing its conclusion.
In the video, he described the disaster as resembling an ‘ancient story’ explaining the incident's chronology. When asked about his belief in God, he expressed feeling ‘humbled by the universe’. He also mentioned that due to his constant work underground, and in areas worldwide where people like him work, a temple dedicated to the region's god tends to be established.